Timothy slithered up from the floor, trying to slash at him with the knife. With a growl, Diogo punched him in the face, knocking him back down easily. He grabbed the blade, bending it back in the other man's hand. Blood trickled from Diogo's fingers, but his face showed no pain—only rage.
The knife fell to the floor with a clatter.
“Mercy. Please,” Timothy cried, feebly trying to protect his face. “Don't hurt me.”
“I showed you mercy. Twice.” Diogo punched him across the jaw, knocking him back. “You've threatened my wife. My children. Never again!”
“Diogo,” she whispered. “He didn't hurt me. Please…let him go.”
“Yes, let me go!” With a high, eerie scream, Timothy fell flat onto the ground, a weak, shapeless, whimpering mass.
Diogo took a deep breath, visibly controlling his rage. “I will let you leave, Wright,” he said in a low voice. “Because she asked me. But if I ever see you again…”
“You never will!”
Ellie felt another hard contraction. “Help, Diogo,” she choked. “The babies…”
Diogo immediately flew to her. He fell on his knees before the bed, cradling her face in his arms. “Ellie. What's wrong?”
“Catia?” she gasped. “Did you—find—”
“She's safe,” he said. “We have her. We found Pedro. But if Wright hurt you—”
“I'm all right,” she sobbed, holding him tight. “But I'm having contractions. The babies are coming.”
He picked her up in his strong arms.
“You're safe now, querida,” he said soothingly. “My bodyguards are right behind me. We'll get you to the hospital.”
Ellie caressed his strong, handsome face.
“You came for me,” she whispered in wonder. “You knew I would never leave you. You know I'll love you forever.”
“I knew.” Unshed tears shone in his dark eyes as he shook his head. “It just took me too damned long. Forgive me for being a coward and a fool.” He looked down at her. “I love you, Ellie. Your strength, your pure heart, your joy. I want you to know. I will love you until the day I die.”
He loved her.
A rush of joy went through her body.
But she saw Timothy rise to his knees behind them. Holding a gun in his hand, he raised it deliberately…
“Diogo!” she shrieked. “Look out!”
Diogo turned, holding heavily pregnant Ellie in his arms. But he moved slowly. Too slowly.
Timothy said hoarsely, “If I can't have her…”
And he fired.
EPILOGUE
“OH, MOM, LOOK! SNOW!”
Christmas morning dawned bright and fine. Snow had fallen overnight in New York. Ellie looked up from the quiet hush of the front room sofa, where she'd been nursing one of her six-week-old babies while the other one slept in a little bassinet beside her. The house was unusually dark and quiet. The servants had the day off. Ellie had been dreaming, watching the twinkling blue lights of the enormous Christmas tree when she heard Catia—now officially her adopted daughter—clap her hands with delight.
“Can we go outside, Mom?” the little girl pleaded, wiggling in front of the large plate window as only an ecstatic six-year-old could. “Please, can we?”
“It's Christmas morning!” Ellie replied with a soft laugh. “Don't you want to open your presents?”
Catia spared a quick glance over at the tree, and for an instant seemed to waver. “Yes, but…” She glanced back at the window. “I've never seen snow before!”
Ellie heard a creak on the stairs. She loved all the creaks of this one-hundred-year-old house. Especially when she recognized the footsteps.
“Diogo,” she said. A glow went through her as he entered the room. Even dressed in a white T-shirt and pajama pants, with his chin dark with bristle and his hair a mess, he was the handsomest man in the world to her.
“Ellie.” His dark eyes lit up with his smile as he came down the stairs. On the other side of the sofa, he leaned over to kiss Ellie on the lips. “Feliz Natal, meu amor.”
“Merry Christmas,” she replied, caressing his cheek.
“Papa?” Catia cried eagerly. “Can we go play in the snow?”
Diogo groaned, stretching with a yawn. “Just a minute, little one.”
Ellie grinned impishly at the dark circles under his eyes. “Thanks for keeping Gabriel company last night.”
He grinned back, glancing down at the baby snuggled in her arms. “I wouldn't miss it.”
Life was a miracle, she thought happily. Since Diogo told her he loved her, every day was a new precious miracle to her.